Brody's Scribbles... Biased Remarks Protested: This Needs To Be A Teaching Moment!

By Brody Levesque (Washington DC) Feb 22 | This morning, The Quebec Council of Gays and Lesbians is planning to file a formal complaint with the Canada Broadcast Standards Council for comments made on the French language television network RDS after the Olympic performance of flamboyant US figure skater Johnny Weir. According to a report published today in the Toronto Star, veteran sportscasters Claude Mailhot and Alain Goldberg made homophobic remarks during RDS's Olympic coverage of the men's figure skating competition.

Mailhot, a former provincial assistant deputy minister, and Goldberg were discussing three-time U.S. champion Johnny Weir, the flamboyant 23-year-old who had just completed his skate.

"This may not be politically correct," Mailhot said during the segment, in which Weir, known for his extravagant performances and fashion flair, was shown sporting a semi-sheer, pink-and-black costume he designed himself. "But do you think he lost points due to his costume and his body language?"

Goldberg replied that Weir's feminine style may reflect badly on other male figure skaters. "They'll think all the boys who skate will end up like him," he said. "It sets a bad example."

The Star also reports that in earlier RDS coverage of Weir, Goldberg and Mailhot also brought up South African runner Caster Semenya, who was forced to undergo gender testing following her 2009 win at the world track and field championships in Germany.

"We should make him (Weir) pass a gender test at this point," Goldberg said and Mailhot then jokingly suggested Weir should compete in the women's competition.

The two broadcasters later offered an on-air apology. RDS also issued a statement following the incident. "All discriminatory statements, or those appearing discriminatory, have neither a place in society nor in media," it said. 

Folks, I grew up in Ontario, and like most every Canadian kid I played Hockey. There is an old joke that in Canada, boys are born wearing skates. Hockey is a rough & tumble testosterone leaden sport. It also defines the attitudes of a majority of Canadian males in many areas and I'm sorry to say that even in the age of enlightened thinking at home, Homophobia still prevails in amateur as well as professional sports. 

Figure Ice Skating such as what Weir does well is often derided by the macho types who feel that only Hockey is truly masculine-the Olympics are clearly light years away from its amateur roots-and judging figure skating competitions is a least partly subjective. Thus I am not terribly shocked by the remarks that those two commentators made critiquing Weir, saying that he has a feminine style that hurts other boys. But what I think needs to happen here is to use this particular moment and teach the youth that homophobia is not acceptable. Comments like those made are not acceptable and that other sports can be just a tough as Hockey and that everyone is an individual and has a unique style that is all their own. It has to do with talent, grace, drive. motivation and a desire to win. It is not about who's more masculine or how 'male' in appearance a person is.

I hope that those two find themselves censored for their pathetic homophobic snarking & that kids learn from this incident not to judge, not to hate, but learn tolerance and acceptance.